UK energy policy to be reviewed

The prime minister and the secretary of state for trade and industry, Alan Johnson, have announced they have asked energy minister Malcolm Wicks to lead a Review of UK energy policy and to bring forward policy proposals next year.

The Review will aim to ensure the UK is on track to meet the goals of the 2003 Energy White Paper in the medium and long term. Malcolm Wicks said today: "The Review will explore all the options open to us taking into account the important international context. There will inevitably be some difficult decisions and trade-offs to be made in arriving at the right package of policy proposals. It is crucial that we stimulate a wide-ranging and informed debate and engage the public, business and industry throughout the process as well as academic, private sector, scientific, NGO and other experts."

The Review will assess progress against the four goals set by the 2003 Energy White Paper:

• to put the UK on a path to cut carbon dioxide emissions by some 60% by about 2050 with real progress by 2020;

• to maintain the reliability of energy supplies;

• to promote competitive markets in the UK and beyond, helping to raise the rate of sustainable economic growth and to improve productivity; and

• to ensure that every home is adequately and affordably heated.

The Review will consider all options including the role of current generating technologies (such as